The Hive Is Burning

The Hive is buring!!!!

The clock is ticking on Byron Scott and Jeff Bower!

Look, I’m not even going to talk about bad drafts (Cedric Simmons, Hilton Armstrong and Julian Wright)), awful decisions (Letting Brandon Bass and Birdman walk away) and the poor development of young players (JR Smith)….because that’s water under the bridge…..I want to talk about how to salvage this year’s  Hornets season.

The next 7 days could determine Scott’s future as head coach of the New Orleans Hornets.

After losing at home by 17 points on Friday night to the Toronto Raptors the Hornets play 5 games over the next 7 days and 4 of those contests are against teams that right now look better than the Hornets.

Sunday: @ Lakers

Monday@ Clippers

Wednesday @ Phoenix

Friday vs. Portland

Saturday @Atlanta

The Hornets are 2-4 overall and have not looked like a team in any of their 6 games.  Even coach Scott says his charges are playing like individuals and not as a team.

Coach Scott and General Manager Jeff Bower can keep saying that the team will come together and that this group will eventually surge but I just don’t see it.

Taking the “it’s all eventually going to come together and be harmonious” mentality to me is like telling a person to keep trying to shove a square peg into a round hole because it’ll eventually fit. 

I’ve watched every second of every game this season and don’t see any way that this group gets better.    

If the Hornets fall flat this week…go 1-4 and stand at 3-8 would management make a change of some kind?  Fire Scott?  Make a trade to jump start the club?  Or will the Hornets stand pat and continue to say that they just have to gel and that time will get them on track?

My bet would be on the latter….stand pat and wait till the trade deadline.  If the Hornets are in 9th-12th place in the Western Conferecne when February’s trade deadline rolls around then they’d probably fire sale as many veteran players as possible and fire Byron Scott to make a statement.

That said….my suggestion is to make a move now to get better!!!

Basically, make a trade that jump starts the club and keeps superstar Chris Paul happy.

One year ago this week Denver was floundering when they decided to trade Allen Iverson for Chanucy Billups.  That move helped the Nuggets surge to the Western Conference finals and has them in a great position this season.

Fletcher’s Jump Start Trade:

David West to the Golden State Warriors

Stephen Jackson and Kelenna Azubuike to the New Orleans Hornets   

WHY: David West is a tremendous player and a cornerstone of the Hornets franchise but in my opinion the acquisition of Emeka Okafor has hurt him and will continue to hurt him.  West and Okafor are similiar players so the presence of Okafor has resulted in fewer shots for West.  West’s rebounds are also down through the first 6 games of this season.  But, David West is a two time all-star who would no doubt flourish and add toughness to the fast break style that Don Nelson runs in Golden State.  West and Andris Biedrins would form an athletic front line that would work nicely with scorers Ellis, Maggette, Curry and Morrow. 

The Hornets would get two very talented wing players to run with Chris Paul.  Jackson could start at small forward and Azubuike shooting guard. Sure, the Hornets are now thin at power forward and would have to piece that position together with Sean Marks, Ike Diogu, Hilton Armstrong, Darius Songaila and even James Posey but adding two good scorers might help jump start this club. 

This deal does not in any way benefit the Hornets financially.  If anything it hurts them a little because they’d be taking on a bit more in salary with two players and they’d have to let a player go (Devin Brown?) to meet the NBA mandate 15 player roster…but they’d still be paying the player released.

But..if the Hornets want to try to save this season and are serious about winning NOW…this deal might be something to consider.

If the Hornets decide to wait and sell off assets at the trade deadline look for these deals to possibly happen:

Fletcher’s Trade Deadline Salary Dump Deal #1:

David West & James Posey to the Cleveland Cavaliers

Zydrunas Ilgauskas & Jamario Moon to the New Orleans Hornets

WHY:  West and Posey are former Xavier University (Ohio) players who would return to the state where they played their college ball and help Lebron and Shaq compete with Orlando and Boston for an Eastern Conference title. 

Ilgauskas has an expiring $11 million dollar contract that would give the Hornets tremendous financial flexability…Moon is a high flying young player who’d make the deal work money-wise.     

Fletcher’s Trade Deadline Salary Dump Deal #2:

David West & Darius Songaila to the Chicago Bulls

Brad Miller to the New Orleans Hornets

WHY:  The Bulls get an all star PF to team in the front court with center Joakim Noah and a tough-as-nails playoff tested back up big man in Songaila.  The Bulls are a dark horse contender in the east and could use both players.

The Hornets get Miller’s expiring $12 million dollar contract.

I put David West in every above trade because he’s the teams only player with good trade value.  CP3 is not going anywhere and Okafor has a contract that very few teams are interested in.  Also, Peja is immovable.  So it’s got to be West in a trade. 

A salary dump trade by the Hornets will probably not initially sit well with Chris Paul but it may not be a bad move.  If the Hornets can use the money they’d get from an expiring contract to sign a big time free agent in the summer of 2010 they could be right back in the mix in the west.  If the Hornets do make a salary dump move and have money remember the name Rudy Gay.  In my opinion their is no way one of the mega-free agent players (James, Wade, Bosh, Nowitzki) lands in New Orleans so Gay may be the big get if the Hornets have money to burn. 

Add Gay and a lottery pick like local player Greg Monroe who’s playing his college ball at Georgetown and the Hornets could be right back in the mix.

UPDATE (11/08/09):

Allen Iverson is reportedly on the way out in Memphis because he’s unhappy to be coming off the bench.  With the Hornets lack of punch at the 2-3 spot I truly believe that if AI is cut loose the Hornets should consider bringing him on board.  

Iverson comes cheap and the Hornets can guarantee him a starting spot….because lets be honest….AI is light years better than the Hornets current starting shooting guard….Devin Brown.

Charles Barkley: Hornets General Manager???

If things go sideways for the Hornets this season…would George Shinn even entertain this idea???

courtesy: www.realgm.com

Charles Barkley believes it’s time for him to make the switch from television to the front office of an NBA team.

“It’s time for me to be a general manager,” Barkley told the Boston Globe. “I think everybody around me knows it’s time for me to take a different challenge.

“I always want to keep going as a person. I love my job. I love the people I work with. But now it’s time for me to take on another challenge as a man. I need to grow as a person and it’s time for me.

 

“And certainly I can do a better job than some of these guys have been doing.”

Barkley added that all he needs is an opportunity.

“If a good opportunity came up, I would take it,” he said. “I think people sometimes get confused with taking a job and taking a bad job. Every job is not a good job, but I think if a good job came up, I would take it. But I am not going to leave TNT for no bad job.”

Hornets Should Sign This Guy If He’s Healthy

HOUSTON — The Houston Rockets have waived guard Brent Barry, a move that trims their roster to the required 15 players.

The 6-foot-7 Barry signed as a free agent with the Rockets before last season and averaged 3.7 points and 1.4 assists in 56 games.

Barry, 37, has played 14 seasons in the NBA. He was selected by Denver in the first round of the 1995 draft, but was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers before his rookie season. He was traded to Miami in February 1998 and also played for Chicago (1998-99), Seattle (1999-2004) and San Antonio (2004-08), where he played on championship teams in 2005 and ‘07.

Barry had not rejoined the team in the preseason.

If A Change Is Made Uptown

I know, this is complete speculation…but if Tulane continues to bomb this season their is a chance a coaching change could be made uptown.

So, who would be a good choice to replace Bob Toledo?

Personally, I think the program needs to hire a young up-and-coming coach that is hungry for his first head coaching job and that will work tirelesly to bring the program back.

Here are a few suggestions: (you’ll notice none of my top choices are offensive or defensive coordinators from BCS conferences.  I think all the good coordinators from the major schools are waiting for BCS head coaching jobs.)

1. (my top choice) Dana Holgorsen:

Offensive Coordinator University of Houston

http://www.uhcougars.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/holgorsen_dana00.html

Fletcher’s Take: Offensive guru familiar with C-USA.

2. Frank Wilson

Wide Receivers Coach University of Tennessee

http://www.utsports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/wilson_frank00.html

Fletcher’s Take: Local coach who in the beginning of this decade led O. Perry Walker to great success.  Known as a tremendous recruiter. 

3. Trooper Taylor

Wide Receivers Coach Auburn University

http://auburntigers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/taylor_trooper00.html

Fletcher’s Take: Former Tulane assistant who understands how the school and it’s athletic program works.

4. Larry Porter

Running Backs Coach LSU

http://www.lsusports.net/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=5200&ATCLID=175223

Fletcher’s Take: If LSU makes changes on it’s coaching staff they’ll be made on the offensive side of the ball meaning Porter could be looking for a change of secenry.

5. (longshot candidate) Gus Malzahn

Offensive Coordinator Auburn University

http://auburntigers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/malzahn_gus00.html

Fletcher’s Take: Longshot because Malzahn is a BCS conference head coach just waiting for a shot. 

6. (Longshot candidate II) Brain Harsin

Offensive Coordinator Boise State University

http://www.broncosports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=54307&SPID=4061&DB_OEM_ID=9900&ATCLID=578847&Q_SEASON=2009

Fletcher’s Take: Considered one of the best young coaches in college football.  Harsin is from Boise and may not leave his home state and alma mater unless he’s got a golden opportunity.

7. (wild card candidate) Major Applewhite

Offensive Coordinator Rice University

http://riceowls.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/applewhite_major00.html

Fletcher’s Take: Until this season I was very high on Applewhite but have cooled on him due to his teams struggles…so he’s a wild card to me.  But I still think he’ll be a great head coach one day.

Hornets Concerns

As I write this the Hornets trail the Orlando Magic in a preseason game by 36 points!!!!!

Okay, I know it’s only the preseason but I’m a worry-wort and the Hornets worry me.

They’ve looked terrible this preseason.

Sure, I know Emeka Okafor has not played because of a toe injury but still…this team does not look like a Western Conference contender.

Take away all stars Chris Paul and David West because it’s understood that those guys will bring it each night and will be the heart and soul of the team.

Julian Wright does not look like an NBA starter and Peja looks old and inconsistent off the bench…same for James Posey. 

New bench player Darius Songaila seems lost at the uptempo pace of the Hornets offense.

As for the starting shooting guard position…who thought the team would miss Rasual Butler so much? 

I DID!!

I gave up on Morris Peterson last season and this year he’s already seemingly lost his job to Devin Brown….DEVIN BROWN!!!

If Devin Brown is a starter for the Hornets it’s time to start searching for 2010 mock lottery drafts because the Hornets are headed to the lottery!

Rookies Darren Collison and Marcus Thornton have not been given enough playing time for me to formulate an opinion but I will say I do like both players at this point. 

To sum it up, this team better get healthy and start playing at the top of it’s game or in my opinion they’re gonna take another step backwards this season!

Heck, maybe it’s even time to try to make a trade to spark the team before the season begins!  Seriously, if this group can’t get it done start making moves now to try to salvage the season instead of waiting to February and selling off the entire club (except for CP3) in a fire sale.

Just my opinion.

Lolo Jones Photo From ESPN The Magazine

This is half of the photo of former LSU All American hurdler Lolo Jones from the ESPN The Magazine (The Body) issue.

 

To see the full photo click the link below:

http://www.sportsbybrooks.com/olympian-lolo-jones-pic-from-espn-body-issue-26372

Lolo Jones Nude

Lolo Jones is a former All American hurdler from LSU who competed in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.  She plans to run in the 2012 London games.

{Editor’s Note: I know Lolo Jones…she is a talented, amazing person, I’m sure the pictures will be in good taste.}

————————————————————– 

One of Iowa’s most famous athletes debated her clothes-not-optional involvement in ESPN The Magazine’s “Body Issue,” which is set to hit newsstands on Friday.Lolo Jones, an Olympic hurdler from Des Moines, is proud of the sweat and effort that led to her world-class, athletic shape.

 

Jones worries, however, about how the project, which includes a range of birthday-suit-wearing athletes, will reflect on her. What’s too much nudity? What are the right and wrong kinds of nudity?

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/2009-10-06-lolo-jones-body-issue_N.htm

New (CRAZY) BCS Bowl Game Predictions

My NEW Crazy BCS Predictions:

*BCS National Championship Game:

#1 Alabama (13-0) SEC Champ vs. #2 Miami (13-0) ACC Champ

WHY: Yeah, I’m jumping on the Miami band wagon.  If the ‘canes beat Va. Tech this weekend and then Oklahoma next weekend they should be ranked in the top three…maybe even #1. If Miami wins both of these games I can’t see them stumbling against UNC or any other team in the ACC.  Plus, Jeremy Shockey’s tweets during Miami games are priceless so I hope his team keeps winning.   

The SEC is without question footballs best league top to bottom…but in my opinion Alabama and Florida are the only two elite/national championship teams in the conference.  I can’t remember the last time I saw a college defense as good as ‘Bamas.  The Crimson Tide beats Florida in the SEC title game and earns a birth into the BCS national championship. 

*Rose Bowl

Oregon (Pac-10 Champ) vs.  Minnesota (Big Ten Champ)

WHY: Crazy pairing I know but I’ve been picking Oregon for years to upset USC and win the Pac-10 and the Ducks keep letting me down.  But I think this is the year.  Oregon beats Cal this weekend and USC next month and wins a trip to the Rose Bowl. 

I hate the Big Ten overall and have a real disdain for Ohio State….so I refuse to put the Buckeyes in this game.  I think OSU will stumble against Michigan and Minnesota…so I’m putting the Gophers in this game. I like their senior QB and their head coach and I think they are truly building something special in Minny…plus I think Iowa and Penn St. are overrated!  

*Sugar Bowl

Florida (at-large SEC #2) vs.  Texas (at-large Big XII #2) 

WHY:  Weren’t these teams supposed to be in the BCS title game?  I’m saying Florida gets beat by Alabama and in an absolute shocker UT gets upset by Kansas in the Big XII championship game.

The big winner here is the Sugar Bowl…which gets the two best players in college football (Tebow & McCoy)  closing their careers in the grudge match fans have been dying to see!

*Fiesta Bowl

 Kansas (Big XII Champ) vs. Houston (at-large C-USA Champ)

WHY:  I like Kansas and their senior QB Todd Reesing.  I know it’s super insane to believe that the Jayhawks could upset Texas but it’s early and I like underdogs.  Houston is as good an offensive team as you’ll find.  If the Cougars finish undefeated they’ll have wins against two Big XII South teams (Oklahoma St. & Texas Tech) an SEC team (Miss. St.) and a real solid C-USA team (Southern Miss.).  The Cougars get my nod over undefeated Boise State due to strength of schedule.         

*Orange Bowl

Pitt (Big East Champ) vs. Michigan (at-large Big Ten #2)

WHY: Pitt gets the automatic BCS bid after winning the terrible Big East Conference (truth be told; I’ve always had a real affinity for Pitt and find myself pulling for the Panthers on a regular basis…but I hate the Big East as a football conference).

Michigan jumps back into the national mix after Rich Rodriguez engineers one of the biggest turn-arounds in college football history. 

(And mark my words….the Wolverines will soon be the cream of the crop in the Big Ten)

***NO USC IN THE BCS?  CORRECT! 

My prediction:  After being upset by Washington the Trojans go on to lose to Cal and Oregon and finish with 3 losses!

——————————————

*Liberty Bowl:

LSU (8-4) vs. Southern Mississippi (10-2)

The Tigers lose to Georgia, Florida, Alabama and Arkansas. 

The Razorbacks end up in the Cotton Bowl, Ole Miss gets the Outback Bowl, South Carolina lands in the Capitol One Bowl and Georgia stays at home to play in the Chick-fil-A Bowl…meaning it’s off to Memphis and the Liberty Bowl for Les Miles and the gang.

USM loses to Kansas and Houston.

Ghosting

HILARIOUS!!!!!

Reggie, Thornton & The Wave

REGGIE AND KICKOFFS:

First, I’ve asked this question for three seasons and I’ll keep asking it:

WHY WON’T SEAN PAYTON LET REGGIE BUSH RETURN KICKOFFS?!?!?!?

In college at USC Reggie was a tremendous threat as a kick…not just a punt….returner!

REGGIE AS A KICKOFF RETURNER:

2003: Led Pac-10 in kickoff returns.

2004: 21 kickoffs for 537 yards (25.6 avg)

2005: 28 kickoffs for 493 yards (17.6 avg).

 

Coach Payton always says the reason Reggie does not return kickoffs is because players on the opposing team can build up too much speed and could possibly hurt Reggie when hitting him on kickoffs!

FOOLISHNESS!

If Coach Payton is so concerned about a player getting hurt on kickoffs then why does he put Pierre Thomas back to return kicks?  Why put former 1st rounder Robert Meachem back as a return man?  Are Thomas and Meachem less valuable to the team in Payton’s opinion?

Plus, both of those guys admit they are very inexperienced as kick returners.

Also, with the emergence of Mike Bell it looks as if Reggie will be third string tailback behind Bell and Pierre Thomas.  So why not utilize Reggie in a role that may better fit his skill set?

 

I always compare Reggie to San Diego’s Darren Sproles….and Sproles is a solid kickoff guy.

So, Coach Payton, give in and let Reggie loose on kickoffs!

THORNTON A STARTER?

The Hornets are two weeks away from starting training camp and I can’t help but think of one thing: 

WILL MARCUS THORNTON START?

The answer to that question is simple:

HELL NO!!!!!

But maybe Thornton should be considered for the starting two guard position if he has a solid camp.  Thornton was a scoring machine in college and showed the ability to score at will in the NBA’s Las Vegas Summer League.  And make no mistake, scoring is what the Hornets need.  Barring their playoff disaster against Denver the Hornets played great team defense last season…they just could not score in certain games.  The Hornets need another solid scorer to go along with CP3 and West (Okafor is a great pick-up but not a big time scorer).

 

So I hope that Coach Byron Scott considers Thornton and gives him a fair chance to start.  I know Scott is not the best at dealing with young players…but maybe’s he’s changed!

THE WAVE

Last month I was bombarded with e-mails from irate Tulane Green Wave fans because I predicted that the team would finish 3-9 overall.

Those e-mails have stopped rolling in.  One Tulane fan even called me and told me 3-9 would be the high water mark this season.

After horrible losses to Tulsa and BYU Bob Toledo’s team is at a tremendous low point.  I’d like to believe that the Wave will bounce back with a win against McNeese State on Saturday, September 26th but the Cowboys recently beat I-AA power Appalachian State so they won’t be total pushovers.

This week coach Bob Toledo also had a meltdown at practice and sent his entire team home because he felt the effort they were giving him was not up to par.  Not exactly a moment that makes me (or anyone else) believe this program is headed in the right direction. 

 

If Tulane loses to McNeese their is a very good chance the team will finish 0-12 or 1-11…and that might mean it’s time for Bob Toledo to go.

And if Toledo goes…I’ll be lobbying hard for Frank Wilson.

FRANK WILSON BIO:

http://www.utsports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/wilson_frank00.html